Start Josh Downs or Khalil Shakir? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Josh Downs over Khalil Shakir in Week 1.

Josh Downs is priced by the books at 3.0 projected points. Khalil Shakir has no player market posted for this week, so his side of this call rests on consensus ADP and the news wire only. Drafters take Josh Downs at ADP 93 and Khalil Shakir at 98. Market coverage on Josh Downs is 30 percent of what his position needs, so the market side of this carries proportionally less weight.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 3.0 fantasy points for Josh Downs, with 30 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

No sportsbook posted a player market for Khalil Shakir in Week 1.

Week 1 matchups

Josh Downs and IND host BAL on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

BAL allowed 25.0 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 12th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 130 yards and no touchdowns against BAL.

Khalil Shakir and BUF visit HOU.

HOU allowed 41.5 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 6th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns against HOU.

By points allowed to the position, Khalil Shakir has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Josh Downs was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Khalil Shakir was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Josh Downs played 16 games for IND and scored 136.4 PPR points, 8.5 a game, finishing WR44.

He caught 58 of 88 targets for 566 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 14 red zone targets and 422 air yards.

He was on the field for 58 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Josh Downs, Week 18 of 2025 against HOU: 1 carry for -5 yards, 4 targets and 4 catches for 61 yards, 9.6 PPR points.

Josh Downs, Week 17 of 2025 against JAX: 35 of 57 snaps, 5 targets and 2 catches for 34 yards, 5.4 PPR points.

Josh Downs, Week 16 of 2025 against SF: 47 of 60 snaps, 1 carry for 3 yards, 9 targets and 5 catches for 65 yards, 11.8 PPR points.

In 2025, Khalil Shakir played 16 games for BUF and scored 166.4 PPR points, 10.4 a game, finishing WR36.

He caught 72 of 95 targets for 719 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 13 red zone targets and 178 air yards.

He was on the field for 60 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Khalil Shakir, Week 17 of 2025 against PHI: 59 of 76 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 35 yards, 9.5 PPR points.

Khalil Shakir, Week 16 of 2025 against CLE: 24 of 50 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 34 yards, 7.4 PPR points.

Khalil Shakir, Week 15 of 2025 against NE: 48 of 70 snaps, 5 targets and 5 catches for 65 yards, 11.5 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Josh Downs scored 5.7 PPR points and Khalil Shakir scored 9.0.

The call was wrong: Khalil Shakir outscored Josh Downs by 3.3.

Josh Downs finished 2.7 points above the 3.0 the props implied.

Josh Downs, Week 1 against BAL: 48 of 54 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 37 yards, 5.7 PPR points.

Josh Downs finished as the week's WR65 in PPR scoring.

Khalil Shakir, Week 1 against HOU: 31 of 58 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 50 yards, 9.0 PPR points.

Khalil Shakir finished as the week's WR41 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Carnell Tate over Josh Downs.
• Start Chris Godwin Jr. over Josh Downs.
• Start Josh Downs over Jakobi Meyers.
• Start Khalil Shakir over Deebo Samuel Sr..
• Start Jakobi Meyers over Khalil Shakir.
• Start Jayden Reed over Khalil Shakir.